The Michigan State University Board of Trustees in East Lansing, for the third consecutive year, has approved a $70 million capital outlay request to the state of Michigan that would support the development of the university’s $340 million Engineering and Digital Innovation Center.
The new center is intended to support the emergence of a strong and transformative ecosystem focused on the convergence of digital and physical technologies such as semiconductor research and heavy-ion radiation testing of chip-based systems through the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.
“The Engineering and Digital Innovation Center will serve as a catalyst for attracting and retaining top talent, including the enrollment of more than 1,000 new undergraduate engineering students over four years and accommodating more than 70 researchers and their respective teams,” says Kevin M. Guskiewicz, president of MSU.
“This new facility will become the epicenter of academic and research excellence in advanced manufacturing, materials science, microelectronics, artificial intelligence and other areas — ultimately preparing our students with the knowledge and skillset to become our problem solvers of tomorrow.”
The newest investment will provide a foundation to support industry needs and bring together a range of teaching, learning, and research initiatives across six colleges at MSU, including the colleges of Engineering, Natural Science, Arts and Letters, Business, Communication Arts and Sciences, and Social Science.
The state of Michigan appropriated $30 million toward the center via the higher education bill in July 2023. The projected cost of the center is approximately $340 million.
“The center will serve as a gateway to our shared digital future,” says John Papapolymerou, interim dean of the College of Engineering. “As a premier provider of practice-ready talent and research for high-growth industries that directly benefits humanity, funding for this space is integral to MSU’s continued role in workforce and economic development for Michigan and beyond.”
